Minbari
The Minbari are the oldest of the younger races. Appearance and Physiology Minbari are bald humanoids with pale skin, easily identified by the bone crest around their heads. Languages The Minbari have three basic languages one for each caste: * Adronato: The language of the religious caste. * Feek: * Lenn'a: Every Minbari understands the languages of the other castes but it is considered a taboo, if the warriors or the religious castes speak the language of the workers.http://www.midwinter.com/lurk/novels/009.html#AN Telepathy The Minbari produce highly trained, highly disciplined, high powered telepaths and, unlike earth telepaths, do not have their movements tracked or their freedom curtailed in anyway. The Minbari think of psi ability as a gift and a calling so they trained, fed and clothed and open to offer their services to those in need.Legacies They have also been show working well as groups of telepaths linked together.Dust to Dust Government Their government is known as the Minbari Federation and is led by the Grey Council which does not reside in the capital city, but on a ship in space usually in a secret location. Council members are given the honorific title prefix 'Satai'. It is also traditional that lower ranking attendants keep their head lowered as gesture of respect.The Parliament of Dreams & Atonement Technology Minbari technology is some of finest and most advanced in the galaxy, second only to the Vorlons, the Shadows and the other First Ones. Their ships are powered by gravimetric engines equipped Artificial gravity. The Minbari probably have other devices based on gravitic science, such as gravity rings which Delenn was shown using on G'Kar.The Gathering Minbari also make use of crystals in their devices. Homeworld The Minbari homeworld is Minbar. It is the seventh planet in their solar system. Despite its oxygen/nitrogen atmosphere, Minbar is a colder world than most others. It is covered by vast polar ice caps; the northern one being the largest, and is very rich in crystalline deposits to which many of their cities are made from.And Now For a Word Apparently, there are also vast wastelands between cites and populated areas.Lines of Communication Culture The Minbari are a deeply spiritual, highly ritualistic and highly disciplined people. They seek conformity and enlightenment above all. Honor is everything and they generally do not lie, except to save another or to help another save face. From birth to adulthood, they are taught to be selfless and learn the importance of service to all aspects of life. Working for generations, they create a legacy for themselves and are ready to sacrifice their lives, their blood, or their honor for others.There All the Honor Lies Since spirituality and discipline are their way, Minbari are less likely to act on their passions. They have a ritual for everything and usually listen very carefully to words of wisdom. While earth culture is much more free spirited and impassioned, were people default on their passions and sometimes forget the lessons of the past. Caste system Minbari society is segregated into a caste system. The three castes are the Worker Caste, Warrior Caste and Religious Caste. Membership within these castes is not necessarily determined by birth but by one's calling in life. From there, the castes are divided into clans which have their own leaders. All three castes generally live in peace with one another but at times there is friction between them, especially between the religious and warrior castes. The workers, although given equal representation in the government, were often caught in between these rivalries and forgotten until Delenn reorganized the Grey Council in favor of them.Moments of Transition Religion The Minbari believe that the universe is both alive and conscious and that it manifests in all forms of sentient life giving all individuals a piece of itself. Passing Through Gethsemane They also believe in a collective soul and collective reincarnation. Thus each generation of Minbari are reborn into the next.Soul Hunter Being that the Minbari do not worship individual gods, they do however have a Minbari represention of a higher being known as Valerian. This is probably another example of Vorlon influence. Valen founded the Grey Council, is also thought of as divine by the Minbari. True Seekers People wandering the universe in search of objects they believe to be holy or divine enlightenment, as in the case with Aldous Gajic and Brother Edward, are considered to be holy men and held in high honor. Religious Minbari believe that they are in a search for the perfection of their souls, and give them all the help they require.Grail & Passing Through Gethsemane Food and Drink The Minbari have a green food that they make called Flarn. They also have their own version of bread and spices, which they bless before each use.Confessions and Lamentations History Early Times Being the oldest of the younger races, the Minbari civilization has existed for many thousands of years and like many other races, they were contacted and influenced by the Vorlons. In ancient times, Minbar was racked with numerous civil wars stemming from caste rivalries and factional violence where Minbari killed Minbari. Despite this institutional violence, their society was stable and disciplined enough to thrive and survive. They achieved space flight well over one thousand human years ago, measured from the events in Babylon 5. However, the Minbari like many of the other younger races did not exactly invent Jumpgate technology themselves. They found them when they went out into space. http://www.midwinter.com/lurk/novels/009.html#SY The Minbari quickly established themselves. Presumably, they came into contact with other species but it is not known whether their relations with them were good or bad. Shadow Uprising (13th Century A.D.) When the Shadows arose in 1260, the Minbari joined with the Vorlons and others in a war against them. When the war took a turn for the worst with the destruction of the main base for the alliance, at the last moment a replacement arrived seemingly out of nowhere. When Minbari warriors came aboard, they found a mysterious Minbari there named Valen. Surrounded by Vorlons in angelic form, seemingly blessing the event, the Minbari listened to Valen and took his leadership. Hope was restored and Shadows were defeated and driven off.War Without End, Part II Minbari Society Under Valen The arrival of Valen was not just a miracle for the sake of the war effort but a blessing for all Minbari. He soon began a series of reforms to unite the Minbari and put an end to the civil wars. He created the Grey Council and gave all three castes equal representation and power, and laid down the foundation for rule by wisdom rather than by war and violence. It was by this that the supreme law was made that no Minbari shall ever kill another Minbari. The Warrior Caste was mandated to defend their world against alien threats rather than their own people, and the Rangers were created to watch out for the Shadows. Events Leading up to the Earth-Minbari War For the next 900 years or so after Valen, the Minbari developed into one of most peaceful and progressive civilizations in the galaxy. They made great strides in technology which far exceeded other races, then and in the far future.The Gathering Lesser advanced races bordering Minbari space like the Norsai, were offered the protection of the Minbari fleet and their sovereignty was guaranteed.Lines of Communication During these space ventures, the Minbari probably encountered more powerful civilizations like the Centauri, who were at the height of their expansion into space. It is not known what their relationship was like but apparently the Centauri did negotiate with them, instead of trying to conquer them.In the Beginning Culture at this time had reached the peak of advancement and society became highly refined and ritualistic, with everyone dedicated to the service of one another. However, aside from some dealings with outsiders (Vorlons and Centauri?), the Minbari kept mostly to themselves and seemed avoid any new first contacts with aliens. Their latest leader Dukhat presided over a council that seemed to be more isolationist than ever.Atonement Earth-Minbari War In 2245, Dukhat, hearing about the humans through the Centauri and aware or half aware of a past connection with them, urges the council to make first contact. But much to his disagreement, the council votes to avoid direct contact with the humans. But on their way to investigate the Shadows, they came into contact with them never the less. Not understanding them, the Minbari approached with their gunports open. This was perceived as a threat and the humans opened fire damaging their fleet and killing Dukhat. In a fit of rage, council member Delenn cast the deciding vote and so began the 'holy' war with Earth.Atonement & In the Beginning Though the war dragged on for three years, the earth ships were no match for the Minbari's advanced technology. Finally, the Minbari reached Earth fully prepared for an orbital bombardment. There they were met by earth's last remaining forces at what would be know as the line.Points of Departure It was there that the Minbari learned of their connection with the humans, through an examination of one human in particular.And the Sky Full of Stars With this discovery, the Religious Caste ordered their forces to stop fighting and surrender.Points of Departure & In the Beginning This enraged many in the Warrior Caste and shocked the humans, who both remained suspicious of the reasons behind it. Postwar and the Babylon Project After the war, a rift began to develop between the Warrior Caste and Religious Caste.Legacies It also seems, at least in some peoples eyes, that Minbari society was becoming more self involved thinking above the needs of others.A Voice in the Wilderness, Part I The Minbari took special interest in the Babylon Project, particularly in its 5th installment, and greatly contributed to it and helped get Sinclair assigned to it's command. Their true motive for wanting him was to keep an eye on him, and insure that he never found out the truth of what happen to him. They assigned Satai Delenn as ambassador to the station with orders to watch over him. Despite co-sponsoring Babylon 5, the divisions and rivalries amongst the warriors and the priests back on Minbar began to grow steadily worst. The warriors began to get more and more suspicious of the Religious caste's loyalty and commitment to their world. Delenn's 'disobedience' of the council on the subject of prophecy by changing herselfChrysalis, Sinclair's subsequent appointment as ambassador to their world, and especially, the assignment of Sheridan the 'Starkiller' to command Babylon 5 only increased these suspicions. Later, the warriors usurped the Religious Caste's position on the Grey Council in favor of themselves, by appointing a warrior to replace the seat originally intended for a Religious Caste member.All Alone in the Night In 2260, when it became apparent that the Shadows had returned, the only people that could be relied upon to participate were the Religious Caste. By the middle of 2260, during the crisis of Babylon 5's succession from earth, the Warrior Caste dominate Grey Council unsympathetic and more concerned with their own affairs, refused to act in the defense of the station. Disgusted by this, Delenn disbanded council. The Minbari were now a completely divided people. Both castes acted like their own nations just as they did before Valen. Later that year, tensions increased when Delenn officially took command of the Rangers at the head of the Army of Light.Grey 17 Is Missing Civil War By 2261 the peace between the Religious and Warrior castes finally broke. In some major cities and communities, the warriors no longer wished to lend aid and support to their Religious Caste neighbors. The warriors had apparently stolen from them and destroyed a great number of resources belonging to the Religious Caste, leaving whole populations of priests to fend for themselves. Some of which were forced to journey to the next population center to find food and supplies, and to meet with others of their brethren. Many of these refugees died of exposure before reaching such places.Lines of Communication The situation on Minbar soon turned to outright violence and war. It was because of this that Delenn decided to return home to organize her caste and possibly mediate the conflict. She meets with Neroon, much to the chagrin of others in her caste, to resolve the situation peacefully for he has the ear of a prominent leader in the Warrior Caste. But the peace offering was false as Neroon had only wished to gauge the mettle of the Religious Caste. The Warrior Caste then begun its final assault on the strongholds of the Religious Caste. Betrayed and defeated, they huddled together as they were bombed into complete submission. The Religious Caste had no choice but to surrender. The two sides then met at the Temple of Varenni for the formal surrender. But after war leader Shakiri declared his intentions to strip the Religious Caste of its sovereign rights, Delenn invoked the ancient tradition of sacrificial rites to prove the worthiness of leaders. She challenged Shakiri to step into the Starfire Wheel and die for his Caste. At first he refused but then choose to join her in the circle. He would not die for his Caste and was proven unworthy. Then Delenn chose to stay in the starfire to prove herself and set an example for all her people. But Neroon not wanting to see her die and finally understanding the wrongness of the war, replaced her in the circle and died for his caste. The warriors were redeemed and the war was over. Delenn formed a new council and reorganized it. Interstellar Alliance and Beyond People Notable Minbari include Dukhat, whose death caused the Earth-Minbari War, Delenn, the Minbari ambassador to Babylon 5, and Neroon, a prominent member of the Warrior Caste. Notes * The Spellings of the Minbari languages are taken from the subtitles in the episode And Now For a Word, during delenn's interview with the earth reporter. Behind The Scenes The name of the species and their planet comes from the name for a pulpit in a Mosque. see http://www.jmsnews.com/msg.aspx?id=1-376&query=Minbar & http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minbar References Other Cited Sources Voltayre's Encyclopedia Xenobiologica Minbari entry B5tech Minbari entry Category:Races